Tag: aphasia

Categories : Cardiovascular Disease NeurologyTags :

Singing Repairs the Language Network of the Brain after Stroke

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Photo by Sergio Capuzzimati on Unsplash

Cerebrovascular accidents, or strokes, are the most common cause of aphasia, a speech disorder of cerebral origin. People with aphasia have a reduced ability to understand or produce speech or written language. An estimated 40% of people who have had a stroke have aphasia. As many as half of them experience aphasia symptoms even a year after the original attack.

Researchers at the University of Helsinki previously found that sung music helps in the language recovery of patients affected by strokes. Now, the researchers have uncovered the reason for the rehabilitative effect of singing. The recently completed study was published in the eNeuro journal.

According to the findings, singing, as it were, repairs the structural language network of the brain. The language network processes language and speech in the brain, which has been damaged.

“For the first time, our findings demonstrate that the rehabilitation of patients with aphasia through singing is based on neuroplasticity changes, that is, the plasticity of the brain,” says University Researcher Aleksi Sihvonen from the University of Helsinki.

Singing improves language network pathways

The language network encompasses the cortical regions of the brain involved in the processing of language and speech, as well as the white matter tracts that convey information between the different end points of the cortex.

According to the study results, singing increased the volume of grey matter in the language regions of the left frontal lobe and improved tract connectivity especially in the language network of the left hemisphere, but also in the right hemisphere.

“These positive changes were associated with patients’ improved speech production,” Sihvonen says.

A total of 54 aphasia patients participated in the study, of whom 28 underwent MRI scans at the beginning and end of the study. The researchers investigated the rehabilitative effect of singing with the help of choir singing, music therapy and singing exercises at home.

Singing is a cost-effective treatment

Aphasia has a wide-ranging effect on the functional capacity and quality of life of affected individuals and easily leads to social isolation.

According to Sihvonen, singing can be seen as a cost-effective addition to conventional forms of rehabilitation, or as rehabilitation for mild speech disorders in cases where access to other types of rehabilitation is limited.

“Patients can also sing with their family members, and singing can be organised in healthcare units as a group-based, cost-efficient rehabilitation,” Sihvonen says.

Source: University of Helsinki

Categories : Cardiovascular DiseaseTags :

Having Better Conversations about Post-stroke Prognosis

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Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Though conversations with stroke survivors and their loved ones about possible lasting impairment can be traumatic, they might also be therapeutic, according to research from The University of Queensland, published in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.

PhD candidate Bonnie Cheng from UQ’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences said that prognosis conversations can trigger mixed emotions of hope and grief, so knowing  how people would prefer for them to happen is important.

“When stroke is encountered for the first time, it’s hard to know what’s important and relevant to ask about, especially during that time of crisis immediately after such a serious health event,” Ms Cheng said.

“During this time, there’s also an immense sense of gratitude for the survival of their loved one that seems to stop significant others from asking for more information.

“Conversations about prognosis and lasting impairments, like speech difficulties, need to be an ongoing dialogue between health professionals, the patient, and their support network.

“It’s important for these conversations to be based on a mutual understanding of what improvements are personally meaningful to the patient and their significant others.”

Aphasia is a common condition after a stroke, diagnosed in one-in-three people after a stroke.

The researchers interviewed people who identified as a significant other of someone with aphasia between three and 12 months after stroke, including spouses, close friends, adult children and parents of someone with aphasia.

“In the interviews, we talked in-depth about their experience of finding out about the prognosis for aphasia, the impact these experiences had on them, and how they would want to get information about prognosis in a perfect world,” Ms Cheng said.

“What we found was significant others need to be included in prognosis conversations so that they too can be informed and supported, alongside the patient.

“The prognosis of aphasia is a sensitive issue to address because it often involves having to adjust to long-term difficulties and changes.

“Recovery needs to be looked at holistically in terms of everyday activities that affect the individual, rather than just scores on a language impairment test.

“Even though we can’t yet ‘cure’ aphasia, this research brings us one step closer to talking about recovery in a way that’s as informative and as compassionate as possible, so that people living with aphasia can be supported to live successfully with the condition.”

Source: University of Queensland